Combination-lock knob



Nov.'29, 1927, 1,651,018 c. E. DREES ET A1.

COMBINATION LOCK KNOB Filed Dec. 16, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,018

c. E. DREES ET AL COMBINATION LOCK KNOB Filed Dec. 16, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 llllll,

lulu f lllllli W uw sg man Nov. 29, 1927. n 1,651,018

, c. E. DREES ET Al.

COMBINATION LOCK KNOB Filed Dec. 16, 1925 '5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. DREES AND ARNOLD E. DREES, OF ST. DOUS, MISSOURI.

COMBINATION-LOCK KNOB.

Application filed December 16, 1925. Serial No. 75,671.

Our invention relates to improvements in combination lock knobs, and more particularly, to a knob, for the operation ot' a lock bolt, having permutation controlled elements which render the knob capable or incapable of affecting movements ot' the lock bolt and which is rendered etfective only upon a manipulation to a predetermined set up combination. f

The object ot oui.l invention is to provide a knob for this purpose, of simple and inexpensive construction, which may be employed in substitution for the regular knob and by which the lock bolt may be moved without the use ot a key.

Fig. 1 is an edge view partly in section ot a door vequipped with an ordinary lock to which has been applied the combination knob of our invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 showrespectivelyiront,

side and rear views ot our improved knob.v

Fig. 5 is an inside face view ot the outer knob element. f

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

, Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional elevation ot the inner knob element.

Fig. 8 is a rear :tace view of the inner knob element.

Fig. 9 is a forward face view of a tumbler race plate.

Fig. 10 is a side view of the same race plate. Fig. 11 is a rear face view of the same race plate.

side and rear views of a controlling sleeve.

Figs. 21 and 22 show respectively rear andl edge views .of a fillet plate.

Figs. 23 and 24 show respectively edge and front views ot' a retaining socket. y

Figs. 25 and 26 show respectively side and rearviews o torque bari.

Description. In the application of our device, assuming an ordinary door A, and lock B comprising spring locking bolt 34 and rocker 35, the knob shank is removed and is replaced by two elements, one of which is the half-length knob shank 36, which extends into the rocker 35, and which is retained in position by screw 37 residing between the door A and escutcheon plate 38, and the other of which is our combination lock knob C which is so arranged as to normally not engage with the vrocker 35, but which may be made to engage rocker 35 and operate it provided a predetermined combination has been set up and knob C thereafter pressed into this engagement. i

In applying knob C we remove the lock B from the door A, and escutcheon plates 38 and 39, and insert retaining socket 40. Torque bar 41is inserted in retaining socket 40 through the knob opening 42 and lock B is then replaced whereby retaining socket 40 and torque bar 41 are maintained substantially in position. The socket 40 is so formed as to serve to lock the torque bar 41 against removal from its seat in the door A (see Fig. 1').

With lock B reinserted in the door, and with retaining socket 40 and torque bar 41 in position the door and lock are ready to receive the knob C and the regular knob l). To place the regular knob D, we insert the half shank 36 through escutcheon platey 3S and retain it by screw 37 and then apply escutcheon plate to the door whichbrings the shank 36 into engagement with rocker 35.

In applying knob C to the door fillet plate 43 is engaged by screws 44 and any other form ofilling, such as 457 mayl be' inserted for the assembled knob C to engagement with torque bar 4l. Assuming the combination oi' knob C to be so arranged as to be operable, inner knob element 48 can slide on control sleeve 49, and in tightening screw 4@ knob C is slid into proximal position to the door. n this position it will be found that the head oi screw 46 approa ches and cannot turn between lugs 50 of tumbler race plate 5l, and i'urther, the thickness of the head of screw 46 and the corresponding depth oi' the space between the lugs 50 is such that they ltravel knob C' along control sleeve 49 provides for engagement or disengagement of torque bai' 41 and rocker 35.

l/Vhen knob C is released after engaging screw 46 with torque bar 4l it is pushed tor- War'd by springV 52, its travel being limited bv screw' 46 bottoming in the housing pro vided between lugs 5G oi" tumbler race plate 5l. The depth to which screw 4S' is inserted in torque bar 41 is a function oit the thickness oiE the door A, whereby adjustability to doors of differing thicknesses is provided.

lt will be noted at this point, that it is necessary to have the combination in operable positions in order to place knob C and conversely this applies to its displacement, in consequence whereof, one unfamiliar with the coml'iination'cannot remove l'rnob C and thus operate lock 'When knob C is thus applied to the door by means oi" seating screw 46 in. torque bar 41, closure element 53 is screwed into position to preventscreiv 45 torque bar 4l from backing out and thus providing positive engagement ci torque bar 4l with rocker 35.

Knob C which'yve have thus far assumed as being assembled, consists of a 'front element 54 provided with a recess 55, threaded screw holes and ball receptacles 5'?. ln assembling knob Cr tumbler race plate 51 is placed inclement 54 so that the lugs 5G occupy recess 55, and companion tumbler race plate 58 is placed on race platev 5l, and these tivo plates are retained in position in frontA velement 54 by screws 59v passing through holes 58 and 60. into threaded holes 56.

Before completing this assemblage tumblers 61 are inserted in tumbler raceivays 62 and. it Will be noted that these tumblers, each of' which has a. segmental portion removed forming recesses 68,Y are diderent, in the location of these recesses, and the. positionof these recesses is definitely related to the num ber of times button 64 must be operated to-y let individual t-umbler `81, assume an open position in the combination.

Atthe same time the tumblers 6.1 are in.- serted and before plate 58 is finally set by screws 5.9,buttons 64 are inserted. in holes 85.

With the combination thus *far assembled, i. e., the forward portion containing two tumbl r race plates which. forni the tumbler races andvvi-th the tumblers housed against removal in which lug 66 of front element 54 or the reten which springs'engage withy slots tIletbu-t-H tons tor the purpose of actuatingthe buttons anc retaining them normally to the Yh 'r travels'v rearwardly. The

limit of t one of the screws With knob C thus far assembled and the balls placed, as has been stated, in the rec-jep-` tacles, they are inree to travel into that part ci the raceways occupied bythe tuinblersi provided the knob in inverted, by'rotation.

aboutl the torque bar axis. li then the knob C is reinverted to its'normal position, as

shown in Fig. 1, the balls do not return tov the receptacle 5T on account oic a deflection 72 in their paths to the receptacles, but in-r stead of that, they reside aligned in the axes oli' the racevvays, the loivermost ball in each aceivay resting in the bay/'73 ot'its button 64.

lV ith the elements described assembled in front element 54 o knob C, control sleeve 49 carryingactuating` spring 52 is set 'in poention so that its` prongs? 4 are aligned to holes 7 5 of race plate 58 and clearance spacesr of race plate 5l, and inner knob element 48 is placed over control bolt 49 and slippedV into outerv linob lelement 54 Where it is retained by screws 76 ei= 7'? in element 48 and 78 in element 51.

seated in threaded holes Mode of operation..

Assuming the combination knobv in posi tion, as shown in Fig. 1, With all of the balls in their racevvays aligned beneath their respective tumblers and above their respective buttons, as shown in Fig. 31, theI tumblers 61 are in` such position that prongs 74 of control bolt 49 cannot travelv into the spaces wherebyI torque bar 4l can engage. with rocker 35 and thus operate lock B.

In order that prongs 74 may thustravel into spaces 75 it becomes necessary that.

tumblers 6l, two of which limit the .motion ended through holes.

Y80 springs Y() are retained in the housing 69 by of each of the two prongs 74, shall be moved until the recess 63 of each tumbler Vshall afford clearance for prongs 74. Thisl clear-v ance is aii'orded by aligning recess V63 Vwith hole 75 and clearance space 75 and is obtained by removing balls from under the tumbler, the number of balls to be removed depending upon the longitudinal location ot the recess 6.

In order to remove thel requisite number of similarly aligned and, further, when the two companion tumblers to the second prong 74 are similarly aligned, then control bolt i9 l may travel relative tothe remainder of knob C and knob C may be pressed in toward the door and torque bar ll may engage rocker 35 and lock B may be actuated, and if in any instance a greater number of balls be released 'from under any tumbler than the number necessary to aline recess 63 into the trend of travel of prong 74, then the knob C may not be so actuated and the lock cannot be opened.

After the combination has been set and whether or not the lock has been actuated, the simple inversion of the knob C, by rotationto a position more or less opposed to that in which the combination operates, will permit all of the balls to return each into its respective raceway and between the tumbler and its button, and reestablish a position or all of the parts whereby upon the operation of the proper combination'tlie lock may be again actuated.

As will be seen by reference to Figs. 31, 32 and 33 each full inward-and-outward stroke of the button 64C produces two positions of the column of spacing elements or balls 67, thus giving a wide range of combinations which may be effected.

Various modifications of structure may be effected without departure from my invenf tion as defined in the appended claims.

- Ulaims.

vWe claim:

1. A combination lock knob embodying a permutation control assembly including a tumbler; a button; aseries of spacing elements interposed between said tumbler and said button; said button being contoured to effect two adjustments of said column of' spacing elements upon each full inward-and outward stroke of said button.

2. In a. lock of the class described, a knob, a torque bar movable with the knob into and out of eiective positions relative to the bolt shifting means of a lock. a device for the control of movements of the torque bar, and a permutation control for the said device comprising ball controlled tumblers.

3. In a combination locky knob a twopronged control sleeve; a knob mounted on said control sleeve; a race plate iXedly mounted within said knob; a plurality of buttons mounted through the rear face of said knob; and means operable by said buttons to bring the prongs of said control sleeve into operative engagement with said race plate.

ll. In a combination lock knob, a hollow knob; a race plate mounted in said knob and containing raceways; plungers mounted in each of said raceways; balls controlling the position of said plungers in said raceways; and transversely mounted buttons arranged to release said balls from said raceways and thereby alter the relative positions of said plungers in their raceways.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

CHARLES E; DREEs. ARNOLD E. DREEs. 

